When can I wash my face, wash my hair and exercise?
Avoid rubbing the operated eye, keep it away from dirt and other contaminants, and protect it from injury. These are our usual timings for returning to everyday activities:
| Activity | Usual guidance at SNU |
|---|---|
| Face washing, showering and hair washing | From around three days after surgery |
| Swimming, saunas and Korean jjimjilbang bathhouses | After about two weeks |
| Running | After about two weeks |
| Hair colouring or a perm | After about two weeks |
| Alcohol and smoking | Avoid for about two weeks after surgery |
Check the timing for the exercise you want to do, including how strenuous it is and whether it could injure your eye. The two-week advice for running does not apply to every sport.
To plan your return to work, tell us whether your job involves driving, physical activity or exposure to dust and water. You will need advice on those tasks as well as the daily activities listed above.
How should I use my eye drops, and when should I contact the clinic?
Use each prescribed eye drop at the dose and for the length of time you have been given. Keep the instructions together, and contact us if anything is unclear before changing the schedule.
Dryness, blurred vision or a change in how you judge distances can occur during early recovery. Use artificial tears for dryness as instructed.
Seek medical attention for severe eye pain, a severe headache, marked redness, severe dizziness or vomiting. Don't assume these symptoms are part of adjusting to the lens or wait for your next check-up.
Our usual cataract follow-up schedule includes a visit at one week, another at one month and annual examinations. Confirm the dates for each eye and keep them with your eye-drop instructions.
About Dr. Kim Seong Hee
Dr. Kim Seong Hee is involved in SNU's postoperative follow-up system. Dr. Kim graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine and trained at Samsung Medical Center. See our medical team profiles (in Korean).
How should cataract surgery and eyelid surgery be scheduled?
If you are also considering eyelid surgery or surgery for under-eye bags, tell both treating teams about your plans and any dates already booked. Ask which operation should come first and how long to leave between them before confirming your schedule.
For questions about reading distances, glare and driving when choosing an intraocular lens, see our cataract lens guide. For your own recovery dates, contact SNU with the activities you need to return to.